Reversibly inhibited antibodies for immune cell stimulation
AssigneeBiotransformations Limited
InventorsColin Henry Self, Stephen Thompson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides methods for stimulating the immune system using antibodies capable of activating immune cells, such as T cells, the antibodies having reversibly inhibited antigen binding sites. Selective activation of the antigen binding sites at a site where an immune response is required (e.g. by irradiation) leads to a corresponding activation of the immune response at that site. Surprisingly good results are achieved even though the antibodies do not possess any targeting moiety which causes them to selectively accumulate at the site where immune cell activation is required.
Claims26
1-19. (canceled)
An antibody or functional fragment thereof having an antigen binding site specific for CD3 and capable of stimulating a T cell on binding to CD3, said antibody being reversibly inhibited from binding to CD3 by the presence of at least one photocleavable moiety.
A method of stimulating an immune response in a subject, comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of an antibody or functional fragment thereof,
- wherein the antibody or functional fragment thereof comprises an antigen binding site capable of binding to a cell of the immune system such that binding of said antibody to said cell of the immune system activates said cell of the immune system,
- wherein said antigen binding site is reversibly inhibited from binding to said cell of the immune system,
- and wherein the antibody or functional fragment thereof does not comprise a targeting moiety capable of binding to a cell which is not said cell of the immune system;
- the method further comprising restoring the ability of said antigen binding site to bind said cell of the immune system, thereby activating said cell of the immune system.
An antibody or functional fragment thereof for stimulating an immune response, wherein the antibody comprises an antigen binding site capable of binding to a cell of the immune system such that binding of said antibody to said cell of the immune system activates said cell of the immune system, wherein said antigen binding site is reversibly inhibited from binding to said cell of the immune system, and wherein the antibody does not comprise a targeting moiety capable of binding to a cell which is not said cell of the immune system.
An antibody or functional fragment thereof for stimulating an immune response against a target cell, wherein the antibody comprises an antigen binding site capable of binding to a cell of the immune system such that binding of said antibody to said cell of the immune system activates said cell of the immune system, wherein said antigen binding site is reversibly inhibited from binding to said cell of the immune system, and wherein the antibody does not bind to the target cell.
A method of stimulating an immune response against a target cell in a subject, comprising administering to said subject an effective amount of an antibody,
- wherein the antibody comprises an antigen binding site capable of binding to a cell of the immune system such that binding of said antibody to said cell of the immune system activates said cell of the immune system,
- wherein said antigen binding site is reversibly inhibited from binding to said cell of the immune system, and
- wherein the antibody does not bind to the target cell, the method further comprising restoring the ability of said antigen binding site to bind said cell of the immune system, thereby activating said cell of the immune system.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.